Fantasy Author

Menu

Monthly Archives: July 2014

Earlier this week (or was it only yesterday?) Renee Miller tagged me in this sadistic game of “pin the blog post on the unsuspecting writer” in which I am ORDERED to answer questions about how and what I write. It should be noted that Renee said it would be fun. It might just be the complete and utter soberness talking, but so far, I’m not having fun–just finger cramps.

On that delightful note, let’s get to it, shall we?

1. What are you working on?

Revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge.

*tilts head* Renee tells me that’s not what she meant. Le sigh.

I’m finishing up the first round of content editing on SACRIFICIAL LAMB CAKE, due out from Red Adept Publishing sometime next year. I’m particularly proud of this one because it’d been in the WIP stage for a little over 4 years.

I’m also writing a spin-off of REAPER (out from Melange books this September) called THE BARD. Beta readers loved Bard in REAPER as did I and felt he deserved his own story. I’m also plotting/outlining several new ideas–one of which is a manipulation of the King Arthur legend that will probably take eons to finish. Once THE BARD’s first draft is finished, my first priority will be a WIP titled, THE FORTUNATE AND TIMELY DEATH OF CLIFF ARMSTRONG.

While I can plot multiple projects at once, it’s difficult for me to focus on more than one draft at a time. So, obviously, I’ll be writing these WIPs FOREVER.

2. How does your work differ from others in your genre?

Honestly, I don’t have a “genre.” REAPER is urban fantasy, while SACRIFICIAL LAMB CAKE is more along the lines of humor/parody with a paranormal twist. CLIFF ARMSTRONG is humor and the others… fuck if I know. I suppose what makes them “different” is the undercurrent of humor in everything I write. I like to laugh; I like to make other people laugh. Sarcasm and one-liners OWN my writing.

3. Why do you write what you do?

Because I want to. Ask any writer and I would HOPE that’s what the answer would be. On a more personal note, though, I’m determined to not only write, but SUCCEED in the humor genres because of how few women writers there are who do so. Christopher Moore, Tim Dorsey, Carl Haissan, Richard Russo, David Sedaris… I could go on forever with the names of danglers who do deadpan comedy. I’ve taken it upon myself to represent the titty committee.

4. How does your writing process work?

First, start with a random thought.

You know what? Fuck it. I was going to do this whole step by step thing, but it’s probably easier if you just take a peak in my head. Helmets are by the entrance. Be sure to duck.

*Sees POW-MIA flag*

Pow pow. Pew pew. Dead soldier. Or maybe not so dead soldier? What if he comes back?

*shakes head* Nah, been done. Oh! But what if he’s a con man.

Yeah. That’s better.

Now for the funny. Soldiers, usually, aren’t funny. Oh! The brother knows right away the guy’s a fraud because it’s fucking obvious–the guy doesn’t even LOOK like the soldier, but everyone else buys it. Cool. That’ll work.

What about growth? What fucking HAPPENS? The brother goes along with it–initially to placate his neurotic mother, but eventually starts to like the guy that’s conning his family. They form a fucked up friendship and then BAM–con man slips away with the family’s savings.

Because happy endings are for suckers.

Now that I’ve got it basically plotted, I’ll write the first few chapters, get a feel for the characters, and if it blooms, great. If not, it hits the DIE, PLOT, DIE pile.

If it wasn’t obvious, I pants a lot of my work, plotting only a few chapters ahead at a time. My outlines ALWAYS change pretty dramatically so I save myself a headache by just letting the story be what it will be.

Anyway, after the first draft is finished, I let it sit for a week or two then start on edits. And so on and so forth.

I don’t think I have any interesting quirks other than the fact that I CAN’T edit while staring at a computer screen. I have to print it out, do it all by hand, and then incorporate them into the electronic version. I also have a hard time getting into a writing groove when there are people in the room. Crowded coffee shops I can handle, but sitting at my desk at home with children on the couch, their hungry little eyes boring into the back of my head… *shudders*

So that’s my process, if you can call it that. I’m supposed to tag individual people but that’s boring. I’m tagging ALL OF TEAM FANTASY from Red Adept Publishing. If you have your own little quirk or something interesting about your process, leave it in the comments.